Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon'

ORIGIN:Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon' is presumed to be a hybrid between G. insignis and G. asteriscosa. It arose in cultivation at "Myall Park", a property near Glenmorgan, Queensland. The cultivar was first received by the Authority on 21st September 1981. Registration applied for by Mr D Gordon of "Myall Park", Glenmorgan, Queensland

DESCRIPTION: This cultivar is an upright shrub 3m tall by 2m across. The leaves are 2.5 to 3cm long by ca. 2.5cm wide at the widest point. The leaves are stiff and leathery with the midrib of the leaf being strongly curved (reflexed). The leaves have a dentate margin with pungent points on each lobe. The venation is prominent, being yellow green in colour. The veins stand out from the leaf surface on the underside. The flowers are a rich pink to red. The style and pedicel are covered with a dense coat of silky hairs and there are scattered hairs on the perianth segments. The main flowering season is late winter to early spring though is also sporadic with flowers often appearing after rain.

DIAGNOSIS: The leaves of Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon' resemble those of G. insignis though they are smaller in size. G. insignis leaves are about 5.5cm long by 3cm wide at the widest point though are variable. They are roughly ovate and undulate with dentate margins surrounded by a pungent tip. The leaves of the cultivar are more crowded on the stems than in G. insignis. G.asteriscosa has much smaller, almost sessile leaves that are deeply trifid and have pungent lobes. The stems of G. insignis are glabrous with a mealy bloom while Grevillea 'Merinda Gordon' is glabrous without the mealy bloom. G. asteriscosa has hairy stems. The flowers of the cultivar are intermediate in size between the parent species, smaller than G. insignis but larger than G. asteriscosa. The style is glabrous in G. insignis except near the base while the styles of both G.asteriscosa and the cultivar are hairy.

CULTIVATION NOTES: The cultivar has proven extremely drought hardy and very resistant to frost. It has grown well in heavy subsoils. The original plant at Glenmorgan has proven to be very long lived. Propagation must be by vegetative means to preserve the cultivar form.